Chapter 86: Tang Family Internal Strife (1)
Oh Sam-bo was the successor of the Mourning Gate Sect, which had once made a name for itself in Sichuan with its outstanding martial arts.
Because it was a time of war, the Mourning Gate Sect, putting forward its fierce martial arts, was able to rapidly expand its power.
However, after the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions entered a truce, they could not keep up with the changes.
In establishing a sect, martial arts were not everything. In particular, the larger the power grew, the more important an existence that could manage the power became. Needless to say, this was even more so in a situation where a truce was established and only minor conflicts remained.
As the battlefield disappeared from Sichuan, the Mourning Gate Sect quickly lost its place.
Oh Sam-bo took the last legacy of that collapsing Mourning Gate Sect and became a son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
“Sigh…”
Oh Sam-bo spat out a curse as he looked back at the situation he was in.
“This is literally being surrounded by foes on all sides, damn it.”
Unlike their expectations, the sons-in-law, who realized that the Sichuan Tang Clan was a place where it was difficult to unfold one’s ambitions, harbored dissatisfaction. Naturally, gatherings where they banded together with their own kind and exchanged complaints existed implicitly.
The beginning of the change started one day when a secret proposal came among the Tang Clan’s sons-in-law.
The content was simple.
[I will return the chaotic world to you.]
It was said that there were not a few people who were sick of this clumsy truce. It was said that there were even such people in the Demonic Cult and the Unorthodox factions.
“I shouldn’t have fallen for those words…”
The words about returning the chaotic world evoked a deep nostalgia.
When he later came to his senses, he had already joined the cause as if possessed.
When he found out that the deed they were plotting was the assassination of the Family Head, he was startled, but it was already too late. Once he put his hand on the joint signature list, it was a riding-a-tiger situation. Even if one jumped off the back of a running tiger, one would only end up as tiger food.
“The fact that the Chief Seneschal is moving like that means he has noticed there are rebellious elements inside…”
The only path left was to sublimate the rebellion into a revolution.
‘Wait? That’s not it.’
Driven to a corner, Oh Sam-bo suddenly realized one thing.
‘Why is that the only path left for me?’
For Oh Sam-bo, the son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan, that was indeed the only path. The moment he put his hand on the joint signature list, there was no other path.
‘But what if it’s just the individual named Oh Sam-bo?’
‘Can’t I just run away?’
He just had to abandon everything and run away.
Fortunately, there were plenty of guys to use as bait. Perhaps because they thought there was no other path, the majority of them were foolish bastards who still couldn’t let go of their lingering attachment to the rebellion.
‘If I slip away while these idiots cause a ruckus… it’s possible.’
Although it meant abandoning his wife and child, Oh Sam-bo felt relieved instead. It was a marriage without love anyway, and even the fellow born as his child could not inherit his own surname.
‘As long as there are bastards plotting such things, a chaotic world will unfold sooner or later. If the battlefield returns, I can make a comeback anytime. It means making an enemy of the Sichuan Tang Clan, but… so what, I can just go to the Unorthodox faction.’
It was something unimaginable when the responsibility of being the successor of the Mourning Gate Sect lay on his shoulders, but the Mourning Gate Sect had already collapsed.
He realized that the moment he abandoned both the successor of the Mourning Gate Sect and the son-in-law of the Sichuan Tang Clan, he could do anything.
‘Yes, I’m abandoning everything.’
Oh Sam-bo smiled broadly as he resolved to do it right this time.
“Brother Oh, you seem overflowing with confidence.”
Had what he was thinking shown on his face? Suddenly, someone spoke to him.
Jo Mun-hyeok. They had been on good terms once, but now he was an uncomfortable existence. It was because he was the one who dragged Sam-bo into this rebellion.
Oh Sam-bo hid his inner thoughts and straightened his expression.
“It’s because I have a good feeling.”
“Haha! Me too. I think things will go well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. So, I would like Brother Oh to take on an important duty with a few others this time.”
‘I’m planning to run away, so what important duty?’
Oh Sam-bo barely held back a snort at Jo Mun-hyeok’s proposal.
If he took on such a thing, it would be hard to escape. He opened his mouth with the intention of naturally refusing.
“Just speak. It is for all of us, so what could I not do?”
‘Huh?’
However, Oh Sam-bo’s mouth acted separately from his thoughts.
“Wouldn’t it be better to be certain? Getting rid of the medicine that will treat the Family Head is good, but it is much more certain and clean to take this opportunity to completely dispose of the Family Head instead.”
‘Are you crazy?!’
Oh Sam-bo thought it was a crazy statement.
“That is indeed a good idea!”
“Haha! As expected of Brother Oh. You are very straightforward.”
Yet, his mouth still acted separately.
As if he were possessed.
“The battlefield will return. The chaotic world will begin.”
Jo Mun-hyeok spoke of the chaotic world again.
The battlefield would return to their side.
An era where the existence named Oh Sam-bo became useful again would come.
‘…Is that so?’
Oh Sam-bo suddenly found those words appealing.
‘What was I thinking about just now?’
As if fixated on one thing and unable to look elsewhere, Oh Sam-bo could not immediately recall what he had been thinking just a moment ago.
Oh Sam-bo struggled to organize his chaotic mind.
“The great undertaking rests on Brother Oh’s shoulders.”
Jo Mun-hyeok placed his hand on Oh Sam-bo’s shoulder and spoke firmly. To the words delivered while looking straight into his eyes, Oh Sam-bo replied readily.
“Leave it to me. I will surely take the Family Head’s head and open the gates of the chaotic world that everyone desires.”
‘This must have been it!’
Just by uttering the words, joy flooded in as if he had grasped what he desired most.
Oh Sam-bo smiled happily at the fact that he had found the answer to the question he had raised earlier.
Looking at Oh Sam-bo, Jo Mun-hyeok also smiled brightly.
***
Under normal circumstances, only Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok and I should enter the place where the Myriad Poison Divine Lord was being treated.
However, one more unexpected person ended up joining.
“You wish for this child to accompany us?”
“Yes. We will have to brew the herbal decoction inside, so we will need a helping hand.”
“Hmm.”
I did not have the courage to leave someone who was the Divine Maiden of the Demonic Cult just anywhere. Even more so if that place was inside the Sichuan Tang Clan. It was beneficial for a long and healthy life to keep a Thunder Bomb, which could explode at any moment, within sight and manage it well.
However, Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok did not seem very pleased.
It was understandable. It was because it meant keeping a person of unknown identity close to the defenseless Family Head.
“Well, since the situation is what it is, it cannot be helped. It is true that we must brew the decoction inside.”
According to Master Hua Tuo’s plan, some of the medicinal herbs were entrusted to Baek Mu-ho and Tang Sa-yeon. Since the elite warriors of the Tang Clan, selected personally by Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok, were lying in ambush there, if anyone tried to do anything foolish, they would be turned into a honeycomb in an instant.
“Still, it is a bit disappointing. To think the Sichuan Tang Clan’s credibility has fallen this much.”
Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok seemed to think that the reason I wanted to keep Yi Hwa by my side was out of concern about suffering harm due to a traitor of the Tang Clan.
It was a frustrating situation, but since I could not tell him the truth, I only let out an awkward smile.
Although I caused a misunderstanding, achieving the goal was the priority anyway.
“Do as you wish.”
Fortunately, this issue was successfully compromised.
[Now, now, hurry up. There’s a patient, so where is the time to take it easy?]
[Stop talking nonsense and brew the decoction. Or shove those useless things up your ass!]
While I comforted Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok, Master Hua Tuo and Master Bian Que ran wild inside my head.
They were like people who had starved for about ten days with delicious meat in front of them.
[They are acting like that because they think they might be able to secure an immortal for their side if things go well. Just understand it that way.]
Hearing Master Zhang Sanfeng’s explanation, I understood why Master Hua Tuo and Master Bian Que were in such a frenzy.
‘Come to think of it, Master Bodhidharma was also quite in a frenzy when he realized that the Divine Monk was a talent who would reach the heavens.’
Recalling how the solemn Master Bodhidharma had rejoiced and run wild without restraint, it was easy to understand.
In addition, I felt like I knew why Master Zhang Sanfeng was grumpy.
‘Even though my first master was Master Zhang Sanfeng, I couldn’t find a candidate for a Taoist-lineage immortal.’
It was just a guess, but it was probably correct. Looking at the reaction Master Bodhidharma showed back then, and the current reactions of Master Hua Tuo and Master Bian Que, this issue seemed to be quite a sensitive matter for the masters as well.
‘Sigh! Why was there no such person in the Mount Hua Sect. Tsk!’
If there had been a good connection in the Mount Hua Sect, Master Zhang Sanfeng’s mood would have been better too. That part was a bit regrettable.
As soon as I reached the room where the Myriad Poison Divine Lord was lying, I immediately set to work on the preparations.
Following the teachings of Master Bian Que, who chattered enough to give me a headache, and the advice of Master Hua Tuo, I began to brew the medicinal herbs.
Although we had to light a fire indoors, Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok had prepared everything perfectly.
[What a pity. If only this kid called the Myriad Poison Divine Lord hadn’t practiced poison arts, we could have asked him to share some Fire God Power on this occasion.]
‘Master Hua Tuo. Your selfish desire is leaking out, you know?’
The shameless temperament of Master Hua Tuo that had been implicitly felt was now openly showing.
Since the gentleman who was discussed as the best of all times in medicine was acting like this, it felt somewhat strange.
If I saw someone discussing and showing respect to Master Hua Tuo or Master Bian Que later on, my mouth would probably itch.
[Now feed him the medicine.]
Making the decoction was nothing special. It was just a matter of adding the herbs and brewing them as instructed.
[Focus, because from now on it’s important!]
It seemed like the real work started here.
[The fact that the greenhorn called the Myriad Poison Divine Lord is still holding onto his life despite consuming a poison he couldn’t handle is probably because he fought the poison qi himself and achieved his own circulation inside. You must guide that poison qi in a good direction.]
[For that, you must accurately apply acupuncture at the exact time.]
Among the things I had requested to be prepared in advance were long needles made of magnetite. When I asked for those preparations, I had expected that I would have to apply acupuncture, but when the situation actually arrived, I felt nervous inside.
[You just need to accurately place the needles on the acupuncture points according to our instructions. With your sense when unfolding martial arts, it’s something you could do even with your eyes closed. It’s nothing to be nervous about.]
[The truly difficult part is placing the needles in a timely manner according to the movement of qi and poison, but we will do all of that for you, so you have nothing to worry about.]
[The important thing is that you must open the Heavenly Gate acupoint, and to do that, you must open the Baihui acupoint. Only then will the head open.]
[While you’re at it, maybe inject some Earth Divine Power when placing the needles… Ah, alright! Don’t be so petty!]
‘The head opens?’
Judging by the emphasis on that part, it seemed to be one of the important prerequisites for a person to reach the realm of immortals.
Come to think of it, I felt like I had heard a similar story before…
[Hey, you! Get your head in the game!]
Having noticed immediately that I was thinking of something else, Master Bian Que yelled and became angry.
For now, I focused on placing the needles.
Because what I had to do now was to perform acupuncture accurately at the timely moment, just as the two divine physicians said.
Emptying my mind of idle thoughts and responding only to the voices, my hand movements were truly those of a master.
An exclamation even escaped the mouth of Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok, who was watching.
“Ho! It is a mysterious golden needle method. To think Hua Tuo’s acupuncture was this great.”
[Why is this the Hua Tuo golden needle method!]
Master Bian Que flew into a rage at Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok’s slip of the tongue.
It was because the acupuncture instructions were centered around Master Bian Que.
The reaction was very fierce. Thinking it would be troublesome if I just let it slide, I corrected it immediately.
“The method of placing needles is following the teachings of Bian Que.”
“Bian… Que?”
Although I couldn’t check since I had no room to look back, hearing a voice filled with an emotion of disbelief made me wonder if I had spoken unnecessarily.
[Focus! From here are the twelve most important needles!]
Sensing that my concentration was wavering, Master Bian Que urged me on.
I could feel that it was a truly critical moment.
It was then.
Kwang!
Suddenly, along with a loud explosion, a violent vibration ran through the inside of the building.
A vibration and roaring sound, which would occur when a part of a building collapsed, shook the inner space.
Taking advantage of that gap, a bundle of something flew in.
‘Hidden weapons?!’
It was the most critical moment for treating the Myriad Poison Divine Lord.
They struck at a very inconvenient moment.
However, there was someone who moved even before me.
An existence that moved even before Chief Seneschal Tang Man-ok.
“How dare you…”
A heat intense enough to dry up the air surged like a wave.
The moment a growling voice, unbefitting of a beautiful, soft voice, filled the room.
“…In whose presence are you playing such petty tricks!”
Kwaaaa!
The hidden weapons that had been flying in vigorously melted in midair.